Endotracheal tubes are commonly used for airway management, mechanical ventilation, and as a drug delivery device when intravenous delivery cannot be established. An endotracheal tube is inserted through a process called intubation. During intubation, the endotracheal tube is inserted into the trachea through the patient's mouth, in order to keep the airway open and to allow air to reach the lungs. Endotracheal tubes often include a cuff to prevent air leaks during mechanical ventilation. This cuff is most commonly positioned at the distal end of the tube and can be inflatable.
Additionally, it is possible for undesirable subglottic secretions to collect around the top of the cuff. In order to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), it can be beneficial to remove these secretions by some means. One way to remove these secretions is to remove the endotracheal tube and then re-intubate the patient. However, continued re-intubation can be traumatic to the patient's trachea and is therefore not preferable. Alternatively, suction can be applied to remove these secretions through an additional lumen in the ET tube post intubation.
It is therefore desirable to provide a device and method for suctioning these subglottic secretions from the tracheal mucosa without having to remove the endotracheal tube.